Sariphi must prove herself worthy of being queen.
Creative Staff
Story/Art: Yu Tomofuji
Translation/Adaptation: Paul Starr
What They Say
When an array of rival princesses descends upon the palace, Sariphi gains an unlikely ally in the princess of the reptile clan. A hopeless romantic, Princess Amit is determined to push her erstwhile sacrifice friend into the king’s arms! But even with Amit cheering her on, will Sariphi be able to carry out the absurd set of tasks Chancellor Anubis concocts to prove she is worthy of being queen…?
Content: (please note that content portions of a review may contain spoilers):
One of the embedded author’s notes in this volume confirms my guess that Sacrificial Princess and the King of Beasts was originally a short story, and its awkward world building continues as it struggles to create the background for the challenges Sariphi encounters. The introduction of warring beast clans and court intrigue demonstrate that Leonhart’s position as King of Beasts is not as absolute as it appeared in Chapter 1, but the details behind the military and political powers remain vague as does the overall geography of this fantasy world.
However, the thing that Tomofuji-sensei does lavish detail and attention on is new characters. Thus, we have the reptilians, Princess Amit and her crush Captain Jormungand. Amit is a comic blend of scary face (she’s got a big crocodile mouth and teeth) combined with a shy, girlie personality. In the lineup of haughty princesses vying to be Leo’s consort, she’s the awkward misfit. So of course, Amit and the sacrificial princess hit it off. Ultimately, the princess candidate arc winds up feeling like a high school squabble between nasty prisses and spunky outcasts, complete with a literal catfight.
With Amit added to the cast, Sariphi has a peer to interact with and to worry over her when her next obstacle appears: a set of tasks to prove her worth as queen. The narrative does not enumerate the list in its entirety. Rather, it appears that each individual task will be revealed at the time Sariphi approaches it, which means these tests are likely to occupy her for the next few volumes.
As mentioned in my previous review, Leo and Sariphi’s devotion is already established; even when other princesses are literally throwing themselves at Leo, none of them have a real chance of becoming Sariphi’s rival. So the plot is focusing instead on having Sariphi fight for the right to be by Leo’s side. Because Sariphi is an ordinary girl in a land of magical animals, the tests are reminiscent of hero trials in myths and fairy tales. As such, even though Sariphi’s affection for Leo is a key component of the story, the plot seems headed away from romance and more in the direction of fantasy adventure.
Extras include embedded author’s notes and the bonus manga, “The Beast Princess and the Regular King.”
In Summary
Even though Leo and Sariphi are devoted to one another, the purity of their relationship and the fact that Leo is generally in the form of a big tusked animal preclude the physical chemistry and sizzling scenes that characterize most romances. As such, once the princess candidate arc concludes, the narrative shifts away from Leo and Sariphi’s love to a set of tests concocted by opponents to a human queen. The specifics of who wields power within the Ozmargo court and the overall geopolitical landscape of the beast lands remains vague, but if you’re not concerned about such details, you can simply enjoy Sariphi undertaking a series of fairytale-like trials.
Content Grade: B
Art Grade: B
Packaging Grade: B+
Text/Translation Grade: B
Age Rating: 13+
Released By: Yen Press
Release Date: July 24th, 2018
MSRP: $12.00
